


Written in the Stars

by theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, friendship!ShikaTema
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 21:19:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3584454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs/pseuds/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can't fight something that's written by gods</p>
            </blockquote>





	Written in the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> part of my work with tsubasa_1742 Confessions of Love as our way of increasing ShikaIno fics :) This is a oneshot and it's pretty long with only a few dialogues but I hope you guys like it anyway.

The long suffering sigh that Ino gave out was not lost on her teammates. After all, she wasn’t the only one bothered by the scorching heat.

She couldn’t find the normal energy to complain about it, though, since the words would probably evaporate from her tongue the moment she opened it.

Suna may belong to the Wind Country but the problem was, it was still a desert and basically a baking city under the sun.

Ino could not figure where the founders got the brains to create an entire Hidden Village in the middle of nowhere even with the advantages it could propose. Because, _seriously_ , even the breeze she’d begged for in her mind had become a problem with all the sand they threw her way which made them stick to her skin where the sweat had become a constant outpour.

She felt disgustingly dirty and sticky and was more than annoyed when Shikamaru reminded her that water was the most precious element in these parts so she could not well afford the long bath she craved unless she brought thousands of ryo in her pockets.

The best thing about finally reaching Suna was probably the shade that would come with roofs.

She was only glad Chouji had insisted she bring a hooded cloak for herself and to not mind that it made her look like a reaper out in the open since it was the only thing that had saved her so far from becoming sunbaked or dehydrated like some mummy or an overly large raisin.

She looked at the figure in front of her and scowled.

Though Team 10 mostly consisted of whiny drags (which, in all honesty, she was a number in the 3:4 ratio), Shikamaru was the worst. He constantly complained about one thing or another _every_ minute. Sure, she complained about getting dirty and Chouji complained about the food and Asuma… well Asuma always complained about being put in this team (which makes the it 4:4 now that you think about it); but Shikamaru always took the trophy. It didn’t mean he couldn’t get the work done. He was actually very efficient and effective. (Which may be because he doesn’t like having to repeat doing things or wasting too much time on tasks when he could use the time to nap or cloud watch.) He actually found it better to work now and complain about it later once it’s over. Ino was sure she’d heard the words how troublesome or what a drag more times than she ever said Daddy. It bothered her now that he was the one not complaining right now.

Then it struck her that he was used to traveling to Suna.

Tsunade always sent him for the diplomatic missions with the Sand. Not only was he the brains and wouldn’t need Tsunade’s yes and no for every decision but he’d been dating Temari, too. (Though the two furiously denied it each time they got. Honestly, who were they fooling but themselves.) So he’s used to the hardships and knows better than waste his breath to complain. And probably because he was going to get laid. The guy was probably itching for them to get there already behind his ever-present calm demeanor.

For some reason, it irked her. She’d been sent on a mission because he was on her team and he was the _liaison officer_ between the Leaf and Sand when she could have been back home where Sakura and the other girls are going to the beach for _two_ whole days. They couldn’t well cancel to wait for her because it had been planned for weeks on end. It was supposedly the only time the rest had been free and Ino’s mission had been very sudden. She couldn’t well blame them for continuing the trip. They all needed a break and here she was sacrificing her own needs for Shikamaru’s _pleasure_. She wanted to push him through a meat grinder until he was sand and scatter him throughout the world.

She knew she was being unreasonable, but _still_.

After another hour or so, like some kind of illusion, a mirage of some kind, the makings of the walls of an impossibly large village in the middle of the seemingly never-ending desert rose across the dunes.

“We’re almost there,” Shikamaru called out to them.

 ** _“Finally!”_** Chouji exclaimed.

Truth be told, only Asuma and Shikamaru had ever been to Suna before. At first, she’d been just as excited as Chouji to see their allies’ home. Chouji wanted to try the food and she was just excited to see how things were and how they fared with making medicine in such heat. After all, she’d been sent to also help replenish their stocks and see how she can help in the hospital during the duration of her stay.

Sakura told her they had greenhouses and sure, some plants grow in the desert, but as a florist and partly botanist, she was still curious. But after a two days and a half of travel over oceans of sand and hills and dunes of nothing but blistering heat, she was ready to go back to Konoha where the heat was justified by plenty foliage to seek shelter from and plenty of baths available.

“We should send a signal now,” Asuma contemplated underneath a new scarf over his face he used to keep the sand out. “They can probably see us now.”

“Right,” she grumbled in a tone loud enough for the rest to hear. “Wouldn’t want them to shoot their princess’ beau on sight.”

Everyone looked at her for an elaboration but she just lifted her nose in the air, eyes closed and arms akimbo.

Chouji exchanged a glance with his best friend and the shadow-nin shrugged. Shikamaru then proceeded to summon a hawk and strapped a scroll in its leg to go ahead of them and they started on a much slower pace than before.

When they got to the walls, the guards pored over their papers. It was nothing but formality, by the looks they gave Shikamaru’s papers.

Ino made no inclination to the blonde shinobi who was checking her and Chouji’s papers and was clearly trying to talk to (and maybe flirt a little) when she saw Temari appear and wave them in.

Now over the years, she got used to Temari’s presence in Konoha.

Sometimes they go the distance and she became part of the girls’ night out whenever in town. But Ino had a love-hate relationship with the older girl that the Sand kunoichi didn’t seem to mind anymore. She had been excited to see Temari after seven months and had even wanted to spend a little bonding time with her. But when Ino saw her right now, she felt like a tire that ran over a nail.

Temari was looking ever more formidable and possibly the most beautiful kunoichi in her home as far as Ino could tell and that kind of didn’t sit well with her for some unknown reason.

She smiled at Shikamaru in a way that only fellow girl or lovers would know. _With a secret_. Shikamaru returned it with a soft smirk and Ino scowled.

“Hey, stranger,” Temari winked at Shikamaru and Ino fought off the bile rising in her.

“Hey yourself,” Shikamaru answered in his usual bored manner.

Temari had yet to acknowledge the other’s presence and Ino was getting annoyed by each passing second.

“Eh, Temari!” She called the other girl’s attention from Shikamaru and Ino saw a small curt-ish smile form in her lips. “Long time! God, please tell me you’ve got some iced tea for me!”

“I do. And a bath,” Temari told her and almost immediately Ino felt her discomfort go. But a part of her wondered if it meant Temari was insinuating that she looked like a fucking mess, which she probably did and Ino could feel anger run in her veins for a second.

“You’re a lifesaver!” She grabbed Temari’s arm and steered her away from the rest.

* * *

Once they’ve freshened up and had some rest, they were called to the Kazekage’s office.

Ino had at once decided upon entering their assigned rooms (which had, thank Kami, been air conditioned) in the Kazekage’s residence that she didn’t want to step out anymore.

She was glad to find out that most official and new buildings were connected by underground tunnels that seemed like office or hospital hallways and were all air conditioned. Electricity was no problem to the people in the Sand. They had too much solar power. It was the water that was expensive, she found out when she was given bath schedules. She still had to find out a way around that fifteen minute bath rule or she’d go crazy.

Gaara’s office had a wonderful view of Suna and Ino found herself more interested with the city than whatever it was that they all had been talking about. When she heard her name, she responded and listened and was glad it was only routine jobs and stuff they were delegating to her. She had wanted a weekend’s rest and instead she was here for two godforsaken weeks. The least they can do is let her go about easy.

It was when they started talking about the medicines and herbs that she noticed Kankurou outright staring.

 _Right._ The last time he saw her, she hadn’t been as beautiful as she was now. She winked at him and he grinned.

At first it was weird but he wasn’t so bad, she supposed. Make up and the creepy puppets aside anyway.

He didn’t look away when she stared back at him and seemed pleased by her running her eyes up and down what was clearly a well-built body. Maybe Shikamaru wasn’t going to be the only one getting laid during their stay. He looked like a man who can carry himself well. Something Ino had liked very, very much.

Together they both smirked when Gaara declared she was going to be working with Kankurou as her guide. It would be best, he said, if Kankurou would also be by her side if she was going to be working on poisons. He was the best in their village and she in hers. They would learn greatly from each other.

“Sounds like fun enough,” she consented as she looked at Kankurou in the eye. She winked again at Kankurou and his smirk got wider.

* * *

Ino was preparing for bed when she saw a shadow move past her window.

She took a kunai from the bedside table and peered outside for any sign of threats. And then she saw, on the balcony from the room next door was Shikamaru smoking with a Temari, dropping down from the railing she’d previously been standing on.

She said something and Shikamaru smirked at her. They spoke for a bit until he waved her inside his room.

Ino backed away from her window, closing the curtains and making a face.

 _They better not make noise in the middle of the night_ , she thought with bitterness she couldn’t well understand.

* * *

The next few days was spent familiarizing herself with the hospital and helping about.

She wasn’t as good a medic-nin as Sakura was (though if Tsunade-sama apprenticed her, she was sure she would have left the rosette in the dust), she was still a good one. She felt smug when, on her third day helping, most had already started calling her _Ino-sama_ and asking for help. Though tiring, it was also fulfilling.

Her supposed free time, mostly before the supper at the Kazekage’s residence, was instead spent working at the half-underground greenhouses with Kankurou and other medics.

It amazed her how the greenhouses looked like a cross between caves and greenhouses and laboratories. Plus the underground waterfalls were amazing and beautiful. It was also believe to have some medicinal properties which she found out was true but couldn’t figure out wherever from.

It had been a pleasant few days with Gaara’s older brother. She thought she would have trouble straightening up flirting from work but Kankurou was by all means responsible. She hadn’t expected that. Then again, he didn’t know much about him except for his abilities and how he acted before and after Naruto tamed and befriended his _jinchuuriki_ brother. Like her father said, never judge a book until you’ve read it.

When working, he was professional and serious. But once out, he was charming, funny even, and Ino was comfortable with him. They flirted openly outside work and kept professional inside. It was not lost on the rest of the village that they made a good pair. By the fifth day, no one was flirting with Ino but Kankurou. She found Gaara looking at her intently but saying nothing at her throughout dinner that night.

* * *

She barely saw her teammates during the first week except during dinner.

Asuma and Chouji had been asked to help in the Academy when Asuma wasn’t with Shikamaru to handle some diplomatic affairs and it mostly only needed the Nara genius.

She always saw Shikamaru with Temari, though. From the corner of her eyes, she would find them walking comfortably together. They would be talking most times. But sometimes they were silent, just comfortably walking side by side. She barely heard Shikamaru complain.

It always struck a chord in her somehow. _That they were so perfect for each other._

* * *

“You guys sure are pretty close,” Kankurou commented one night.

Shikamaru, Chouji and Kankurou were seated in a bar somewhere late in the night.

It was a mission, true. They technically shouldn’t be drinking. But Shikamaru couldn’t sleep and Chouji wanted to eat outside so they took a walk. Kankurou found them and invited them for a drink. It wouldn’t be very diplomatic had they refused.

Plus Shikamaru hadn’t had a drink for a week now and Asuma was fast asleep with his own hidden stash.

Chouji explained the Ino-Shika-Cho thing to Kankurou and their family oaths.

Kankurou nodded and commended them for being able to hold to the oaths.

Shikamaru snorted to himself. “Troublesome.”

Chouji smiled sympathetically and patted Shikamaru’s back. “You love us anyway.”

Shikamaru made no comment and rested his jaw on his hand and nursed his drink.

“So you’re like brothers and sisters already. Just separated by birth.”

“Not even by birth, really,” Chouji said matter-of-factly as he swallowed his drink. “I was born a few months ahead. But Shikamaru and Ino were born barely a day apart.”

Kankurou nodded with a slight purse of his lips. He swirled his drink, looking at it thoughtfully. “Okay, so if a guy asked her out they need permission from you two?”

There was a few beats of silence.

“Well…” Chouji began uncomfortably, looking at Shikamaru for support. “Yeah, technically. If someone asks her hand in marriage, I and Shika are required to test the candidate or choose the candidates for her. Any girl from all our clans really… But most specifically if the heir was born female…”

“Like Ino?” Kankurou clarified.

Shikamaru met Chouji’s eye for a second and then he looked at Kankurou and sat up.

“Well, Ino… she…” Chouji chortled uneasily.

“She threw a fit over that and doesn’t care what we say on who she goes out with or sleeps with,” Shikamaru grunted in the conversation. “She’s a stubborn pig anyways so I pity the guy who’ll… **_whatever_**. Chouji and I avoid it. I suppose when it’s time for her marriage, that’s when the elders will force us to step in but can you see **_Ino_** letting **_that_** happen under her nose? She’ll marry who she wants to marry. She always finds a way to get what she wants.”

“That’s our boar-headed Ino,” Chouji chuckled weakly and drank his sake in one go. “And boars don’t change their stripes overnight.”

Even Shikamaru cracked a smile for a second.

“Heaven forbid she did.”

“So if I wanna do things right, even if it’s nothing serious,” Kankurou said and Shikamaru and Chouji’s eyes shot to the puppet-nin. “I’ll need to ask your permission if I, say, take her out tomorrow for dinner.”

 _Where in this godforsaken place_ , was all Shikamaru could think of. He’d seen him with Ino. Ino would say yes. And no, he did not feel okay with that ever since he saw the way Kankurou had gaped and stared at his teammate the moment they stepped into Gaara’s office.

Chouji squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He took his family’s oath seriously. And of course, he was damn _scared_ of Ino’s dad. Plus his Dad and Shikaku adored Ino like the rest. They knew Ino wasn’t exactly innocent anymore, but man; they sure try to think otherwise. Some suitors that they’ve been able to know and meet had never bothered Ino again. They always blamed Chouji and Shikamaru whenever anyone got too close to Ino and that was such a drag. _Especially that one time with Genma_. They were so goddamn angry about it. Chouji and Shikamaru had been reprimanded for weeks on end and Genma… well, if Tsunade hadn’t stepped in… Now whenever Ino and Genma felt like cozying up together, they had to become shinobi discreet about it enough that the older Ino-Shika-Cho never found out. Damn that guy and Ino’s fascination with that senbon.

“ _Maaaaan_ , I don’t know—“

“Go ahead,” Shikamaru told the man. “She’s old enough to make decisions on her own, Kankurou. And if she wants to go out with anybody, she’ll say yes no matter what we say and beat us up for saying otherwise. It’s a fight lost before fought. I don’t do battles like that.”

Kankurou smirked confidently. “You’re not a genius for nothing, after all, aren’t ya, kid?”

Shikamaru was left to think opposite for the rest of the night.

* * *

The next day, Team 10 was free to loiter for the meantime. But with it being too hot and with everything they really needed in their designated apartment, the team stayed indoors.

Shikamaru placed himself in the sofa where he could nap while having view of the clouds outside. If there was one thing he liked in Suna, it was their open skies. If it wasn’t so blazing hot outside and there was soft cool grass instead of annoying roasting sand that got _everywhere_ then he’d always be outside to cloud watch.

Chouji sat on the loveseat snacking and talking to his best friend about everything and nothing while Asuma sat on the chair opposite them, reading a nondescript book and smoking.

As expected, Ino said yes to the date without delay and grumbled all morning about not being able to pack anything sexy enough for a date.

Shikamaru did his best to ignore the girl and thanked the gods of earth when Asuma pulled out a game of Go from one of his scrolls and played with him.

Neither of the boys paid more than half of their attention on Ino as she whirled about the apartment trying to model her outfits that were more than impractical to bring on a mission or on a date in places as sandy as Suna.

“Is this better?”

“It’ll be really cold at night, Ino,” Chouji reminded her.

“How about this?”

Asuma sighed when he gave her a glance and went back to the game. “You’re a Konoha delegate. You shouldn’t be wearing stuff like that here, Ino.”

“Ooh, look at this one!”

“Is wearing that even _legal_?” Shikamaru asked, genuinely curious and Ino smacked him in the head with a fist.

When lunch came and Ino refused to eat anything in fear of bulging anything unflattering by the dinner date Shikamaru looked at her with an expression she couldn’t understand and stalked to his room and stayed there until Kankurou picked her up.

Once they were gone, Shikamaru came out of his room minutes later and announced that he was going out.

The Konoha shinobi didn’t even respond and kept at their dinner.

When the door closed, Asuma mumbled with a small sneer, “kids these days.”

* * *

Ino wondered if there was anywhere in Sand that was a proper place for dates because the Sand people didn’t seem to bother that much with style or comfort; which made her surprised that Kankurou had a button down shirt and all for the date.

But she guessed living in the middle of the desert had disadvantages and they didn’t really need malls (hence why she couldn’t shop and good lord and she was so **_not_** getting caught wearing the clothes civilian women here wore) or that much establishments.

So when Kankurou took her to a little restaurant somewhere in the village, she did not have to feign surprise. It seemed like the only place in town for dates and celebrations as it was packed and no one came in without reservations. Even though lacking in much aesthetic appeal, the food smelled divine and everyone seemed to be happy so Ino decided to make opinions later.

It was also a surprise, although a pleasant one, to know that Kankurou had never taken anyone here before when he didn’t realize there had to be a reservation to eat there.

Kankurou looked absolutely at loss in embarrassment when he was asked if they had reservations.

It was with great luck, though, that the manager recognized him. “Kankouro-sama! Please, I have a special table for you and your lady companion. A special table!”

Ino giggled as Kankurou scratched the back of his head and they followed the man.

They went upstairs and were led to a dome room made of glass and Ino’s mouth almost hung open.

It had been sparsely decorated and had fewer tables, set apart with some distance for privacy and was candlelit unlike the packed mess below. But it wasn’t terrible at all.

Above the dome shone the billions of stars outside. There was a quartet of strings that played in the middle of the room that set music so enchanting that Ino felt underdressed.

Judging by the squirming beside her, she was not alone in her discomfort.

The manager led them to the only available table in the room, one near the glass walls, which provided better view of everything.

Kankurou cleared his throat and pulled her seat for her. Ino blushed and took the seat.

A server who came out of nowhere poured wine as her date sat opposite her.

“I’ll leave you in his capable hands,” the manager said. “I hope you enjoy your meal. Please, if there’s any need, call for me.”

They nodded to him and the server handed them the menu and introduced himself. Whenever he looked at Ino, he would blush a little and Ino would smile more flirtatiously.

It made her happy to make men putty in her hands.

Needless to say, he stammered through his lines and Kankurou glared at him, adding to his uneasiness.

Ino just batted her lashes innocently at him.

* * *

Temari found Shikamaru smoking on one of the roofs with a sour look on his face. She sat next to him and smiled.

“Not a word,” Shikamaru forewarned and took a long drag of his cigarette.

“I wasn’t gonna.” He gave her a don’t-bullshit-me look and she laughed.

“Okay, fine. You win,” she conceded, throwing up her hands.

He gave an amused chuckle as he put out the fire on his cigarette by rubbing it against the earth roof and tossed the cigarette butt far away. “Heh. First time you ever gave up so easily.”

“Well, since you’re here for diplomatic reasons, I didn’t think that pointing out how stupid you look spying over my brother and his date would be good in strengthening the Sand and Leaf relations.”

“That stopped you when?”

“I did get to say it looked **_stupid_** , right?”

Her laugh echoed across the village rooftops, musical and mocking.

She was a really good friend to him. Even after their ‘ _break up’_.

Of course, they told themselves they were never really together. That it was just fun while it lasted. It was just them being young, wild and free.

But two visits ago, around last year’s first week of spring, Temari called it off.

It just wasn’t going to work. She never wanted to leave Suna and he would never leave Konoha. Their homes needed them. They had responsibilities and loyalties and it was in everyone’s best interests that they stop fooling around with each other.

He’d been bothered, to say the very least, but knew she had a point. But then she added, “Shikamaru, it’s hard to fight what’s already written in the stars. That’s the gods you’re fighting.”

He had no idea what she was talking about. So she smiled and told him what she’d witnessed earlier in the day.

* * *

_“I’m never coming over ever again,” Shikamaru groaned as he set down the last sack of soil in front of Ino. “Even if you say it’s a matter of life and death. Even if the whole village burns down. You don’t even pay me for this.”_

_Ino looked up from her clipboard. “You said that yesterday when you were dragging the fertilizers around. By the way, mom got angry you left tracks everywhere.”_

_“Well this time it’s for real.” Shikamaru slumped on a seat and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He rested both arms about him on the counter as Ino went on her list. “I’m never helping you out again. You can do this by yourself anyway! Why do you keep breaking down my door to make me carry these? These are your chores!”_

_It was like he was living with his parents again. Always with the helping and the bossy woman who keeps yelling at him. Kami, why are all the women in his life such overbearing, high-pitched tuning forks?_

_Ino ignored him as she scribbled on her clipboard._

_“Eh, Shika! Get me those new pots in the back! Get me twenty!”_

_Shikamaru grumbled and groaned and sank further in his seat. Ino glared at him and folded her arms._

_“Shika!”_

_He gave her a pout of his own and she whined again._

_“Shika, I need them now!”_

_He did not move and stared at her lazily and she glowered at him forcefully until he gave up, tilting his head back and closing his eyes_

_H_ _e murmured. “Give me a minute to rest.”_

**_"Shikamaruuuu!”_ ** _She half-yelle, half-whined and slapped the clipboard against his stomach and he doubled over, clutching his stomach with one hand. “I need them now! And tomorrow, you’re helping me deliver new saplings to plant at the Kishikachi village! Get up! Come on! You have to help me! You have to do everything I say!”_

_"_ _I don’t have to do anything for you, troublesome woman!” He snapped at her._

_“You’re helping me tomorrow whether you like it or not!” She proclaimed arrogantly._

_“And why the hell should I let you abuse me any further? This is your job you keep dragging me into! Ask someone else! Ask Chouji! Or Kiba!”_

_Ino wouldn’t hear any of it and pulled on his ear hard._

_”This discussion is over!” She pushed him out of his seat by the scruff of his long sleeves and was forcing him to the back of the shop. “I need those pots now and you’ll be here at five o’clock sharp tomorrow! Go on, shoo! Pots! **Now!** ”_

_She gave him a slap on the behind for good measure and he scowled, blushing crimson._

_“What a troublesome woman!” Shikamaru complained as he went to the back with hands in his pockets and Ino smiled victoriously to herself._

_Shikamaru sighed in defeat and mumbled away about having to wake up so early as he went and Ino continued to scribble back on the clipboard, the smile set firmly in place_

_Temari snorted and smirked and walked on to the Hokage’s office. Shikamaru can talk to her later. He was currently preoccupied._

Shikamaru had blinked in confusion but did not deny anything that she implied about him and Ino.

If there was “nothing” going on between him and Temari, there was even _nothing_ more between him and Ino, he’d said.

She shrugged and said she believed him. But she also told him not to take too long. There was a long line of men that wanted to be with the beautiful psyche-nin, even just for one night.

He remembered how a sudden flare of protective and primeval anger that didn’t feel brotherly at all had went inside him when she said it and then he realized that that shouldn’t have bothered him since Ino wasn’t exactly a virgin anymore and when she gave men her heart, she gave them her body and soul and that thought made him even angrier and Temari just let him think on it as they walked, not speaking to each other until he figured it out.

Temari had squeezed his shoulder and smiled in full support. So that smile on her face tonight irked him.

After making him realize he wanted Ino for himself, she let Kankurou go out with the girl!

“Why’d you let your brother take her out?” He asked accusingly with a look that said she was being a traitor.

“Well he said you gave him permission, which I knew had to be some bullshit you were pulling and so I knew you were just being a pussy and knew I’d find you lurking and spying on them and _ahhh_ , have I ever told you how **_good_** it feels to be right?”

* * *

She laughed again and he resisted the urge to push her off the roof. Not that it would hurt her. But it would stop that annoying laughter.

He looked again at where Ino and Kankurou were talking and eating.

It had to be the most decent dating spot in Suna and Kankurou was doing everything so perfectly.

Shikamaru was still not happy about this.

He didn’t know if Kankurou meant to be serious with Ino or not.

Frankly, either answer made him feel angry. And it was too much effort to put it into words. But he knew it without thinking about it.

He wanted Ino to stop dating all these men. Stop giving them a chance. Stop breaking her heart for them.

Ino was by all means, confident of how beautiful and talented she was as a kunoichi.

But she was as insecure as how beautiful she was.

Every heartbreak ate her out. Every single bastard that wronged her, cheated on her and left her made her all the lonelier and in a desperate hunt for love. Love Shikamaru didn’t really even know if he could give her so he’d let her try and find someone else.

But in the end, they would hurt her. And he’d blame himself and the asshole and he’d have to deal with Ino crying her beautiful eyes out for some jerk who didn’t appreciate how lucky they’d been that she chose to give them the chance of a lifetime.

He’d beat them up man-to-man. He wanted to be hit back. Because he deserved it. Because Ino got hurt because he allowed her to be. _Because he let her be._

Now Kankurou was a decent guy. He was good shinobi. And he seemed to like Ino enough.

But was that **_enough_**?

Because Ino Yamanaka was a goddess to be worshipped and loved with everything you had and was the kind of woman you should sell your soul for without a second thought.

Shikamaru just didn’t think he himself would be the right guy for her.

And even if he was, would she want him back?

* * *

Ino saw them smiling and talking together in the rooftops.

God, do they really need to show off how great they are together? Man, that’s just so annoying.

She didn’t know if Kankurou saw them too so she didn’t mention it anymore.

She just tried to enjoy the food, the wine, Kankurou and his surprisingly gentleman-ly ways and ignore the small and confusing sudden stabs of envy in her chest.

By the better part of the evening, Kankurou and Ino moved to a nearby seedy bar and started drinking and drinking hard. Kankurou was never one to hold back when drinking and Ino was always a lightweight who liked to pretend she can take in as much as the next guy.

Heat had already flooded over both of them and the alcohol was already messing up in their brains. And both felt particularly passionate that night.

Ino felt no shame in letting Kankurou hold her close, hold her against him, warm hands on her curved waist and lips breathing and whispering on her ear and cheeks, pressing kisses on her face. Never her lips, though. She’d never let him kiss her here.

And Ino felt no shame running hands on his arms and chest and once or thrice, his thigh. She liked the way he shivered as she whispered back and placed well-timed giggles and laugh in his ear, enough to keep him at bay, enough to not be too close in public. She knew the words to set him off his seat as soon as she’s had enough teasing him and she could feel him against her thigh. _Ready for her._

She liked rendering such powerful men into lust-filled primitive beasts. It made her feel invincible. That she could make them beg. Beg until they couldn’t anymore and took what they wanted with a hunger that could barely be sated. It made the sex all the better, too.

“If you take me away now, you might get lucky,” she whispered hotly against his ear, the tip of her tongue barely touching his earlobe.

He shivered, slammed money on the counter and whisked her away in a hurry.

* * *

Kankurou didn’t want to bring her to his apartment, which Gaara had placed next to his own. Kankurou didn’t want to rent a room. This village was filled with too many old men and women who did nothing but gossip and put down the new generation for being too _scandalous_ , too _brazen_ , too _wild_ , too _corrupted_. As if they hadn’t been like this on their own days of old. Kankurou didn’t really want to bring her back on her own room but they knew they both had no choice.

And right now really, they didn’t care.

Ino pushed him against the wall beside the door to the apartment and smirked, a finger tracing his nose, pressing softly, teasing down his lips, chin and to the chest that was revealed by the two buttons that was left strategically open.

He smirked and leaned down, capturing those soft, plump pink lips finally, **_finally_** with his. And they were as sweet and delicious and soft and heavenly as he’d imagined. And when she kissed him back, he felt undone because _damn_ she was **_good_**! He never thought he’d enjoy the taste of tequila this much until he’d tasted her tongue rubbing on his own.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he grinned against her lips for a moment and his hand slipped down her shapely ass and down until she understood and he carried her and reversed the position, with her against the wall, legs tight around him.

He growled against her lips, bit it half-gently, half-roughly and she moaned a sound that made him burn a hundred times hotter than a thousand suns.

He grasped the doorknob with one hand and tried to open the door as Ino tried to open his shirt buttons clumsily.

A strong presence made their alcohol-and-chemical-muddled brains to falter a moment and stop. They were still shinobi and in their haze, it stood out like a warning.

They found Shikamaru and Temari standing a few feet away, watching them.

Shikamaru’s face was set as normal but beside him was a smirking Temari.

The two quickly righted themselves and Kankurou coughed nervously, blushing beet red with Ino. Ino tried to rearrange her clothes in a decent manner.

The door opened and Chouji poked his head out. “Eh, Ino? Did you forget your key or something? Oh, Shika! Temari! Good evening! Are you guys coming in for tea?”

Shikamaru didn’t answer and said, “G’night, Temari. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” she said and headed onwards, possibly to the Kazekage’s office, with a smirk at Kankurou and Ino.

Shikamaru stepped in without giving so much as a glance to the two and Chouji stepped aside for him, door wide open.

Kankurou was still red as he scratched the back of his head. “I-I’ll see you tomorrow as well, Ino. I had a great time.”

Ino, no longer blushing but still looking completely flushed, “yeah, see you. Good night.”

“Er, g-good night.” Ino gave him a swift kiss in the lips and went inside.

Kankurou noticed Chouji’s stare and went red, muttered good bye and he stumbled after his sister, more of the kiss than the alcohol.

* * *

Ino growled in frustration as she brushed her teeth.

That Shikamaru! He did it on purpose! His presence was so potent earlier that it couldn’t have been an involuntary chakra spike.

He deliberately made himself known. The cockblock!

She was sure Chouji had felt it and had been disturbed that’s why he opened the door.

She scowled and rinsed her mouth and once more washed her face.

Once dried, she changed in a shirt and her pajama bottoms and went to get some aspirin in the kitchen.

She found Shikamaru nursing a drink.

She glowered at him but he made no display that he noticed her.

So she stomped her foot and slammed the drawers and cupboards as she searched for the aspirin and took water from the fridge and slammed that closed as well.

She heard Shikamaru sigh ever so quietly and she slapped his head with annoyance.

“What the **_fuck_** , Ino?!”

_“You did it on purpose!”_

“Well you’re a diplomat for Konoha. Someone catches you sucking face like that with the Kazekage’s brother and you know what happens. We’re on a tightrope with Suna, Ino. And Gaara can barely stop them from killing Leaf shinobi.”

It was true. Years of enmity had been rooted in deeply to the older generation. If Gaara hadn’t been the Kazekage, they wouldn’t have even reached a mile near the walls.

But Ino couldn’t worry about that right now because all she got was that the prick wasn’t denying it!

“So you did do it on purpose!” Ino growled at him, fist itching to take a hit at him. “And you did it because we don’t keep it _private_ like you and the Suna princess!”

“Nothing’s going on with me and Temari,” he repeated for the thousandth time, but this time, with a hint of anger.

“Oh ho! Really now, Shika! Anyone can see it!” Ino laughed derisively at him. She crossed her arms and leaned over to him. “Just marry her already so you can suck face with her in public!”

“I don’t need to marry someone to make out with them, Ino,” he said. There was a warning in his tone that Ino couldn’t detect right now because she was still intoxicated. And angry.

“Oh, then you’re just jealous I was going to get laid, then, huh? Because you can’t get a break with Temari!” She provoked him. She was so frustrated. Alcohol, hormones and no release was not a good combination on the Yamanaka heiress since the beginning of time.

A second of silence and then Shikamaru was smirking darkly at her. It was strange enough to make a chill run down Ino’s spine and step back from him.

Shikamaru grabbed her wrist tightly and instinctively she pulled but his grasp was tight.

“No, Ino,” he whispered hotly, his face no closer than a few inches that she could smell his drink. “Not Temari. I don’t want the ‘ _Suna princess’_. I want **_you_**. So yes, I was jealous.”

Her eyes widened, her jaw dropping real lady-like and he smirked smugly.

“I wanted to kiss you that way. I didn’t want him to have you.”

“Y-you…”

A speechless Ino was a blue moon event. He delighted in the small victory and pulled her to him. “I wanted you mine, Ino. **_Mine_**.”

He then kissed her viciously, punishing her for making him jealous, for letting someone else have her, for letting someone else in, for breaking his heart.

He kept a hand on the back of her head as she struggled away, her hands pushing and hitting. But he was stronger now. _He was brave_.

He pulled her tight against his body and enveloped her in his arms and warmth and slowly, slowly she let herself drown in his arms.

Soon as she responded to his kiss, he softened and his kiss became sweet and passionate and overwhelming and Ino tried to catch her breath but he wouldn’t let her and she couldn’t stop.

Her hand stopped resisting and held him closer. She could feel his heart pressed against hers racing. She was surprised to find her own beating erratically, faster and harder than his.

But with a lick on her lips and an invasion in her mouth, she was once again lost on the feel of his kiss.

Their tongues and teeth clashed for dominance like a war, neither party giving up, tasting, and **_tasting_** more.

A sweetness that wasn’t her toothpaste. A tangy aftertaste that was not just the alcohol he’d been drinking. His cigarette that tasted so good in his mouth that Ino knew she would never be able to mean making him to quit the vice. And a thirst that could not be quenched but could only be satisfied in each other’s mouths.

When it ended, it felt like it had been too soon.

Ino could barely think, her brain tried to catch up on the oxygen levels it needed to fully function as she panted and she only felt Shikamaru let her go with a kiss on her forehead.

“I love you, Ino.”

She barely registered the confession as her eyes widened once more. _What?_

She looked up but he was already leaving. “S-Shika, w-wait!”

He didn’t look back. “Go to sleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like it's kind of missing something... can you tell what? and don't be sassy and tell me it's a continuation. :))


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